Thread transporting mechanism



Nov. 6, 1956 S. FURST THREAD TRANSPORTING MECHANISM Fi led Sept. 5, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet l 3g 67.9 0 (l 57 74 hi 77 76 lNVEpITDR STEFAN F RST' Nov. 6, 1956 Filed Sept. 5, 1952 'IIIIIIIIIIII VIIIIIIIIIII TRANSPORTING MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEHNTOR STEFAN FuRs-r' Law a United States Patent Oflice 2,769,599 Patented Nov. 6, 1956 2,769,599 THREAD TRANSPORTING MECHANISM Stefan Fiirst, M. Gladbach, Rhineland, Germany, assignor to Walter Reiners, Waldniei, Lower Rhine, Germany Application September 5, 1952, Serial No. 308,033 Claims priority, application Germany September 7, 1951 11 Claims. (Cl. 242'35.6)

The present invention relates to thread transporting mechanisms.

More particularly, the present invention relates to thread transporting mechanisms having apparatus for connecting together end portions of a broken thread and for connecting together an end of a thread from a supply spool to another thread end.

In known apparatus of the above type, different structures are required for knotting together a broken thread and for connecting together an end of the thread of a fresh supply spool to an end of a thread from an exhausted supply spool. The reason for this is that in known apparatus of the above type broken thread ends are generally moved to a knotting mechanism by suction tubes. Reserve supply spools generally have their thread ends held in a stationary suction tube so that they cannot be engaged by another suction tube, and for this reason these known apparatus are fairly complicated to manufacture and operate.

One of the objects of the present invention is to simplify an apparatus of the above type by providing a single mechanism capable of handling both broken thread ends and thread ends of a fresh supply spool.

w A' further object of the present invention is to provide a mechanism of the above type which will not interfere with the holding of the threads of reserve supply spools by a suction tube.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus which, while being simple and inexpensive to manufacture, is at the same time capable of efiiciently and quickly bringing thread ends of a broken thread or a fresh supply spool to a knotting station to be knotted to another thread end.

7 With the above objects in view, the present invention mainly consists of a thread transporting mechanism having a carrier which is adapted to carry a supply spool at a predetermined operating position. A guide means is associated with the carrier to guide a thread of a supply spool carried thereby along a predetermined course. A pick up means is turnably mounted on a stationary support of the transporting mechanism and is moved along a predetermined path by a suitable moving means from a rest position to a pick up position adjacent to the thread course and back to the rest position, so that this pick up means may pick up a broken thread end portion when the pick up means is in its pick up position. An automatic knotting mechanism is located adjacent to the rest position of the pick up means to knot a thread end portion picked up thereby to another thread end portion. A replacement means is provided to replace an exhausted supply spool with a fresh supply spool, and a holding means for holding a thread end portionof the fresh supply spool is located on the opposite side of the path of the pick up means from the operating position of the supply spool so that ,the thread end portion of the fresh supply spool, when it is located in the operating position, extends across the predetermined path along which the pick up means 2 moves so as to be picked up by the pick up means and moved to the knotting mechanism. A suitable means is provided to actuate the pick up means when the thread movement is interrupted.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 shows a schematic, partly sectional, diagrammatic view of one possible apparatus for carrying out the present invention;

Fig. 2 shows on an enlarged scale a part of the structure of Fig. 1;

Figs. 3-5 respectively show in partly sectional, fragmentary views, dilferent positions of a part of the mechanism of Fig. l;

Figs. 6-9 diagrammatically illustrate different positions of the same part of the mechanism shown in Figs. 3-5;

Figs. 8a and 9a respectively show, on an enlarged scale, fragmentary views of the structure of Figs. 8 and 9; and

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary, partly sectional view illustrating the operation of another part of the structure of Fig. 1. 7

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown in Fig. 1 a thread transporting mechanism which includes a shaft 1 rotatably supporting a thread guiding drum 2. A spool 4 rests against the drum 2 and is turnably carried by a spool carrier 3, this spool 4 being turned by its engage ment with the turning drum 2. In this way the thread F is drawn from a supply spool 5, carried by the stationary carrier of the machine, to the take up spool 4.

A suction tube 6 is provided with a suction nozzle 7 at its free end and is turnably mounted on the stationary support 8 of the machine for turning movement about the axis of the support 8. By a mechanism to be described below, upon an interruption in the thread F, the suction tube 6 engages a broken thread end P and moves to the position 6 to carry the broken thread end P past and against the automatic knotting mechanism 9 which serves to knot together'thread ends F and F".

' Another thread pick up means in the form of a suction tube 10, which is turnably mounted on the stationary support 11 for turning movement about the axis thereof, is provided with a free open end in the form of a suction nozzle 12. Upon an interruption in the thread F, the pick up means 10, by a mechanism to be described below, moves to the position 16', which is the pick up position thereof. As is shown in Fig. 1, the pick up means 10 moves from a rest position at one side of and adjacent to the knotting mechanism 9 to the pick up position 10' along a predetermined, curved path 13, which is an arc' of a circle.

A cam 14 is connected to the suction tube 10 for turning movement therewith, and when the suction tube 10 is in the position of 10' the cam 14 is in the position 14. p

The thread F is guided in part by a stationary elongated member 18 about which the thread F turns and with which a member 17, in the form of a plate, cooperates to form a thread cleaner, this plate 17 being turnable on the stationary member 15 and being connected to an extension 16 which is turnable with the thread cleaner member 17 about the shaft 15. As is shown in Fig. 1, the extension 16 is located in the path of movement of the cam 14 and is engaged thereby' to turn member 17 away from thread guide member 18 so that when the suction tube 10 andcam 14 are in the positions 10 and 14', respectively, the plate 17 will be located apart from thread guide member 18 by a distance sufiicient to release a broken thread end F" to the pick up means 10. a

As is diagrammatically shown in Fig. 1, a thread tensioner 19 is mounted between the stationary thread guide members 18 and 20 to provide a tension in the thread Fjmovging from the supply spools to the take up spool 4. In front of this thread tensioner'19 there is located a magazine 21 which contains a number of reserve supply spools 5 whose threadends 22 are held in a stationary suction nozzle 23. When oneof the reserve supply spools 5' takes up the operating position of the spool 5 in the carrier 50, the thread end 24'thereof assumes the position shown in Fig. 1 and fresh supply spool intersects the are 13 at the point 32. It

is seen from Fig. 1 that the suction-nozzle 23 is located with respect totheoperating position of the supply spool 5 along a line which intersec ts the. path along which the pick up means moves. 1

In Fig. 2 the pick up means 10 is shown in its pick up position 10'. The broken thread end F", leading from thesupply spool 5, is guided over :the stationary guide member 20 to the tensioner 19 and the cleaner 17, 18. As a cause of a break in the thread, a thickening 25 is formed thereon at the thread cleaner 17,18 and the extreme portion of the broken thread is shown at 26. Fig. 2 also illustrates how the cam 14 cooperates with the extension 16 to move plate 17 from thread guide member 18 to release the thread end portion F". i V

In Figs 3, 4 and 5 the'suct'ion nozzle 12 of the pick up means 10 is illustrated on an enlarged scale. This nozzle this first thread portion of a 12 carries a thread clamping member 27 which is in the form of a cover member and which is turnable about a pin 28 fixed to the suction nozzle 12 and which carries a lever 29 which is adapted to abut against a stationary member 30 0f the machine. Also, the cover member 27 carries an extension 31. r V r In Figs. 6-10, difierent operating positions of the above described parts are illustrated. The thread portion .24 is shown in Fig. 10 as being hooked bythe extension 31 of the cover member '27 and a part 34 of this thread portionis shown extending between the extension 31 and the stationary suction nozzle 23. a Q j As is shown in Fig. 1, a pair of elongated bars 5 1 and 52 are turnablymounted on the stationary shaft 53 of the machine. To the upper ends of'these bars there are respectively connected, by pivot pins, a pair of elongated members 54 and 55,- respectively, which are provided with rack teeth to engage pinionsfixed to the pick up means 6 and 10'so that when :the bars 5-1 and 52 are turned in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 1, about the shaft 53, the members 54 and 55 will move to the right, aszviewed in Fig. 1, to move the suction tubes 10 and 6 from their rest positions to the positions 10 and 6', respectively, these suction tubes 10 and 6 being returned to their rest positions when the :members 54 and 55 return to the position shown in Fig. Y

, At their lower ends the bars connected to a pair of rods 56 and 57 respectively, which are slidable through the stationary guide members 58 and 59, respectively, and located in grooves of the cams 60 and 61, the latter being diagrammatically shown in Fig. l as fixedly mounted on a rotatable cam shaft 62 adapted to be rotated in the direction of the arrow 63 when the'pin 64 is released from a mating notch in the disc 65 which is fixedto the cam shaft 62, this pin 64 being pressed by a spring (not shown) toward the periphery of this disc 65-so as to enter the notch therein and limit the rotation of ca-m shaft 62 to a single revolution after the pin 64 is removed from disc 65 by energizing of the coils 66 located about thispin 64. As is shown in Fig. l, a feeler member 67 is turnably mounted on a stationary member 68 and carries a contact 99 located opposite a stationary contact 70 so that when the thread F breaks the feeler member 67 turns about member 68 in a' counterclockwise direction,; as

51 and 52 are pivotally which have curved end portions Another feeler member 71 engages the thread F be- 7 tween the thread guide member 20'and the thread tensioner19, this feeler member 7:1 being carried at the top of a rod 72 which is pivotally conn ted to one arm of a bell crank 73 turnable on a stationary shaft 74 and having .pivotallyconnected to its other'arm a rod 75 which is in turn pivotally connected to the rod '76 pivotally suspended from a lever 77 which is turnably mounted intershaft 78 of the machine.

mediate its ends on a stationary The rod 76 is provided with a hook-shaped end portion 79 located opposite one end 810i a lever 80 which is turnably mounted on a stationary bracket 82' and whose opposite end 83 engages a cam 84 fixed to the cam shaft 62 for rotation therewith. A spring 85 is supported from a stationarybracket 86 and is connected to the lever77 to urge the same to a rest position against a stationary stop member 87.

The carrier 50 for the supply spool 5 is formed with a slot 88 opposite which a free end 89 of lever 77 is located, this free end 89 being of a lesser thickness than the width of slot 83 so as to be freely movable therethrough.

The magazine 21 is formed with a pair which opposite legs of a U-shaped member 90 are movable, this member 90 being turnably connected at 91 to the lower side of magazine an extension 92 pivotally connected'toa rod 93 which is in turn pivotally connected to the rod-77 v The above described structure operates in the. following manner:

The thread F, during normal operation of the apparatus, moves from the supply spool 5 around the thread guide member 20, through the thread cleaner 17, 18, over the thread guide drum 2 and onto the take up spool 4 which-is turned by contact with the rotating drum 2. When the thread F breaks, the f eeler 67 turns 70 into engagement with each other. These contactsare associated with a mechanism '(not shown) for stopping the rotation of the drum 2 at this time and'turning it in an opposite direction of rotation so that the suction nozz-le 7 of the pick up means 6 sucks in the broken thread end P extending from the supply spool 4.

, 7 Upon engagement of contacts 69 and '70, the pin 64 before the suctiontube 6 turns on the supportfi, the

suction tube 10 is turned to the position '10 in order to engage atthe position 10' the thread portion F extend-.

ing from the supply spool '5 (see Fig. 2)

The'engagement-of the thread portion F" with the suction nozzel 12 of the pickup means 10 is illustrated-in 'Figs. 3-5 in three different positions. Fig. 3 illustrates the suction nozzle 12'and the cover member 27 thereon in the position just'before thepick up means '10 has reached the position 10'. Thelever 29 has justjengaged the member 30 so that the cover 27 is moved slightly away from thejfree open end of the suction tube 10. The final position 10' is illustrated in Fig. 4 where, the cover. 27ris moved to its fully open position touncover the suction nozzle 12. As 'is shown in Fig.4, the thread end portion F" is located just over the extension'31 so as to be subject to the suction, force in the tube 10 and to be drawn into the same. As is shown in Fig. 5,'the

suction tube 10 has a considerable part of the thread i portion F" located therein, and .when' the lever 29 leaves the member 30, upon movement ofithe suction tube 10 of slots through 21 and being fixedly connected to.

through the thread tensioner 19,

to bring the contacts 69 and g away from the pick up position thereof, this thread end portion F" is clamped to the outer free end of suction nozzle 12 by the spring pressed cover 27. In this clamped position, the thread end portion F is moved by the pick up means 10 along the circular arc 13 until the suct-ion tube 10 reaches the position shown in Fig. 1 alongside of the automatic knotting mechanism 9, this forward and return movement of the pick up means 10 being carried out during the first half of the rotation of cam shaft 62 due to the shape of the cam 60. The force of suction in the nozzle 12 is strong enough to pull the thread end portion F" from the thread tensioner 19, and, as is shown in Fig. 2, the thread portion F is released from the thread cleaner 17, 18 by cooperation of the cam 14 with the extension 16.

Due to the shape and position of the cams 60 and 61 with respect to each other, the suction tube 6 turns to the position 6' and back again only during the second half of a rotation of the cam shaft 62, so that when the pick up means 10 has already carried the thread end F" to a point adjacent to the knotting mechanism 9, the pick up means 6, which has already sucked in the thread end portion F, turns in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 1, to the position 6', so that the thread end F is moved against the knotting mechanism 9, as shown, and the suction tube 6 moves across the suction tube 10 to engage the thread portion F and move the same with the thread portion F against the knotting mechanism 9 so that the knotting mechanism may knot together these two thread portions. The thread parts remaining after the knotting mechanism 9 has connected the thread ends together are sucked along the tubes 6 and 10 so as to be removed in this way from the apparatus.

The above described operations take place when a thread F breaks during movement thereof from the supply spool to the take up spool 4. When the supply spool 5 becomes exhausted, there will also be an interruption in the thread extending from the supply spool to the take up spool, and this interruption will also cause the above described operations to take place. However, in addition to'the above described operations, it will be seen that the feeler member 71 is released to turn the bell crank 73 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 1, so that the rod 75 draws the hook shaped end 79 of rod 76 beneath the end 81 of lever 80. Therefore, when the shaft 62 rotates, as a result of the engagement of contacts 69 and 70', the turning cam 84, which usually turns the lever 80 without any transmission of movement to the rod 76, will this time cause, through the lever 80, a downward movement of this rod 76, as viewed in Fig. 1, to cause a clockwise turning of lever '77 about shaft 78, as viewed in Fig. 1, against the action of spring 85. Thus, the end portion 89 of lever 77 will pass through slot 88 into the carrier 50 to expel the exhausted supply spool therefrom, and the rod 93 will move upwardly to tilt the member '90 in a counterclockwise direction about pivot 91, as viewed in Fig. 1, so as to release the left spool 5' shown in Fig. 1, which then moves by gravity along the magazine 21 and into the carrier 50.

Thus, the thread portion 2-4 extending from the fresh supply spool in carrier 50 intersects the path of movement 13 of the suction tube at the point 32. The suction nozzle 23 is located forwardly of the plane in which the rest of structure of Fig. 1 is located so that the thread end portion 24 extends rearwardly and downwardly toward the supply spool 5', as is indicated in Fig. 10. In the meantime, the operations described above in connection with a break in thread F have caused the pick up means 10 to be located in the position 16 and upon its return movement the extension 31 on cover 27 engages the thread portion 24 at a point adjacent to the suction nozzle 23. On its downward movement the suction tube 10 moves past the suction nozzle 23 before a fresh supply spool has moved into the carrier 50, and due to the [angular position of the thread portion 24, the extension 31 does not contact the thread portion 24 until the tube 10 has reached the point 32 of its return movement seen in Fig. 7, after which the thread portion 24 is moved in the manner illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9 to the rest position of Fig. 10. As was described above, the suction tube 6 then turns to move the two thread portions against the knotting mechanism to he knotted together. As may be seen from Fig. 8a and Fig. 9a, the thread 24 is looped about member 31.

It should be noted that since the thread portion 24 is already under the influence of suction tube 23 it cannot be sucked in by the suction tube 10, so that the extension 31 serving as catch means provides a means for bringing the thread portion 24 to the knotting mechanism without conflicting with the operation of the suction nozzle 23.

After the free ends of the knotted end portions are cut by the knotting mechanism 9, the suction tubes 6 and 23 draw off the free lengths of thread. Toward the end of a full rotation of the cam shaft 62, the knotting mechanism 9 releases the knotted thread and the rotation of drum 2 is continued in its normal direction to cause the thread to move the feeler 67 to the position illustrated in Fig. 1 where the contacts 69 and 70 are separated so as to stop rotation of the cam shaft 62 and so as to release the pin 64 to the influence of the spring pressing thereon so that it again enters the notch of this 65.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of thread transporting mechanisms differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a thread transporting mechanism adapted to bring together separate thread portions, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended Within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A thread transporting mechanism comprising, in combination, guide means for guiding thread from a supply spool along a predetermined course; a support; first suction means turnably mounted on said support for turning movement along a predetermined path from a rest position to a pick-up position adjacent said course for sucking at the latter position and end portion of a broken thread and bringing the same to said rest position; an automatic knotting mechanism located adjacent to said rest position of said first suction means to knot a thread end portion picked up thereby to an end portion of another thread; second suction means for holding the thread end portions of a plurality of supply spools adapted to be successively located in the operating position of an exhausted supply spool, said second suction means being located with respect to said operating position along a line which intersects said path of movement-of said first suction means so that a thread end portion of a supply spool newly located in said operating position crosses said path of movement of said first suction means; and an extension mounted on said first suction means for hooking an end portion of the thread of a supply spool newly located at said operating position to move said thread end portion from said second suction means and supply spool to said knotting mechanism. 1

said operating erating 2. A"thre ad.winding machine asdefined in claim 1 and wherein said first suctionizm'eans. is in, the form of a -suction' tube having a l freef open end adapted to suck in'an end 'portion of a brokenthreadat said pick-up positions Q .7

: 3;In a threadiwinding machine, in Combination, a stationary support; a suction tube having a free open end and being'turnably mounted'on said support for movementbet ween arest position anda pick-upposition where said suction tube is adapted to pick-up arthread'portion and move the same to said rest position of said suction tube', a cover member turnably mounted on said suction tube at said free open end thereof for movement between a covering position covering said open end of said suction'tube and an uncovering position uncovering said open end of said suction tube; spring means operatively connected to said cover member for urging the same into said covering position thereof; and a stationary projection located adjacent said pick-up position in the path of movement of said cover member to engage the same just before said suction tube reaches said pick-up position so that said cover member turns against said projection and with respect torsaid suction tube against the action of said spring means to said uncovering position to uncover said free'open end of said suction tube when the latter is in said pick-up position, whereby a thread portion maybe sucked into said suction tube at said pick-up position and clamped by said cover member to said suction tube when the latter moves away from said pick-up position so-as to move said cover member away from said projection to be released to the action of said spring means and thereby moved to said covering position,

4 In a thread winding machine as defined in claim 3,

V said'cover member having an extension adapted to hook onto a thread portion to move the same with said suction tube to the rest position thereof.

5. In a thread Winding machine as defined in claim 3, said machine having a thread cleaner which includes a pivotally mounted member located adjacentto said support; and a cam fixed to said suction tube for turning movement therewith on said support and adapted to engage said pivotally mounted member of said thread cleaner to turn the same, when said suction tube moves to said pick-up'position, to release a thread end portion from'said cleaner so that said thread end portion may move into said suction tube. V V

6. In 'a thread winding machine as defined in claim 5, said machine including a thread tensioner located adjacent said pick-up position of said suction tube, the latter removing a thread end portion from said tensioner when in said pick-up position. 7 V 7. A thread transporting mechanism comprising, in combination, a carrier adapted to carry a supply spool at a predetermined operating position; guide means associated with said carrier for guiding the thread of a supply spool: carried thereby along a predetermined course; a' stationary'support; pick-up means lturnably mounted on said stationary support for movement along a predetermined path; moving means operatively connected to saidpick up means for turning the same along said path from arest position to a pick up position adjacent to said course, for picking up a first, broken thread end portion, and back to saidtrest positionyan automatic knotting mechanism adjacent to said rest position of said pick up means to knot said first thread end portion picked up thereby to a second thread end portion; replacement means located adjacent to said course for replacing, at position, an exhausted supply spool with a fresh supply spool; holding means for thread end portion, of said fresh supply spool, and being located on the opposite side of said path from said opposition; so that said third'thre'ad end portion extends across said path to be picked up by said pickup means and moved to saidknotting mechanism; actuating means operatively connected to said moving means for holding a third 7 means for turning movement setting the samejinto operation upon' an inte ption in the thread along the course;;a thread cleaner located along said predetermined course andjncluding a plate member tiltably mounted on the transporting mechanism and having an extension; and a' cam fixed to said first pick up combination, a carrier adapted tocarry a sppplysppol at a predetermined operating position; guide means associated with said carrier for guiding the thread of a supply spool carried thereby along a predetermined course; a stationary support; first suction means; mounted on said stationary, support for movement along a predetermined path; moving means operatively connected to said first suction means for moving the same along said path from a rest position to a pick up'position adjacent to said course, for picking up a first, broken thread end portion, and back to said rest position; an automatic knotting mechanism adjacent to said rest position of said first suction means to knot said first thread end portion picked up thereby to second thread endportion; replacement means located adjacent to said course for replacing, at said'operating position, an exhausted supply spool with a fresh supply spool; second suction means for holding a third thread end pop-tion, of said fresh supply spool, and being located on the opposite side of said path from said operating position so that said third thread end portion extends across said path; catch means mounted on said first suction means for movement therewith to catch said third thread end portion and move the same to said knotting mechanism; and actuating means operatively connected to said moving means for setting the same into operation upon an interruption in the thread along said course. I I 9. A thread transporting mechanism comprising, in combination, a carrier adapted 'to carry asupply spool at a predetermined .operatingposition; guide means as:

said free open end thereof, and being turnably' mounted v on said stationary support for movement along a predetermined path;tmoving means operatively connected to said suction tube for turning the same along said path from a rest position to a pick up position adjacent to said, course, for picking up "a first, broken thread end portion, andback i to said rest position; an automatic knotting mechanism adjacent to said rest'position of said suction tube to knot said first thread end portion picked up thereby to a second thread end portion; replacement; means located adjacent to said course for replacing, at said operating position, an exhausted supply spool with a freshsupply spool; holding means for holding a third thread end portion, of said fresh supply spool, and being located on the opposite side of said path from said operating position so that said third thread end portion extends across said path to be picked up by said extension of said suction tube and moved to said knotting mechanism; aotuating means operatively connected to said moving means for setting the same into operation upon an interruption in the thread 'alongsaid course; a cover member carrying ,1

said extension and being turnably mounted on said suction tube at said free open end thereof for movement be said free open end of said suction tube, said cover mem-' her having a projection located on an opposite side thereof from said extension; spring meansoperatively con nected to said cover member 'for' urging'the same into said covering position thereof;and a stationary member: J "located adjacent to said pick'up position of said suction t e th a being ocat d extension to engage the'same upon turnsaid first pick up means for tilting said tube in the path of movement of said projection of said cover member to engage said projection to turn said cover member against the action of said spring means into said uncovering position thereof when said suction tube is at said pick up position thereof.

10. In a thread transporting mechanism, in combination, support means; first suction means for moving an end portion of a broken thread to a knotting station, said first suction means being mounted on said support means for reciprocating movement along a predetermined path to a pickup position located at one part of said path for picking up the end portion of the broken thread and back to another part of said path located adjacent the knotting station; second suction means carried by said support means for holding the free thread end portion of a fresh spool of thread in a position where said free thread end portion extends across said path adjacent to said pick-up position; and catch means for engaging said free thread end portion at said pick-up position without suction and moving said free thread end portion to the knotting station, said catch means being mounted on said first suction means for movement therewith.

11. A thread transporting mechanism comprising, in combination, a carrier adapted to carry a supply spool at a predetermined operation position; guide means associated with said carrier for guiding the thread of a supply spool carried thereby along a predetermined course; a stationary support; first suction means mounted on said stationary support for movement along a predetermined path; moving means operatively connected to said first suction means for moving the same along said path from a rest position to a pick-up position adjacent said course, for picking up a first, broken thread end portion, and back to said rest position; an automatic knotting mechanism adjacent to said rest position of said first suction means to knot said first thread end portion picked up thereby to second thread end portion; replacement means located adjacent to said course for replacing, at said operating position, an exhausted supply spool with a fresh supply spool; second suction means for holding a third thread end portion, of said fresh supply spool, and being located on the opposite side of said path from said operating position so that said third thread end portion extends across said path; and catch means mounted on said first suction means for movement therewith to catch said third end portion and move the same to said knotting mechanism.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,208,930 Kahlisch July 23, 1940 2,338,914 Esser et a1. Jan. 11, 1944 2,365,701 Higgins Dec. 26, 1944 2,500,343 Garrette Mar. 14, 1950 2,659,538 Perry et a1 Nov. 17, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 25,796 Great Britain Nov. 9, 1909 406,063 Great Britain Feb. 22, 1934 65,949 Denmark Nov. 24, 1947 123,902 Sweden Jan. 25, 1949 

